Slip



May 2, 1939. R. L. FLUELLEN SLIP Filed Jan. 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l y 2, 1939- R. FLUELLEN 2,156,384 I SLIP Filed Jan. 28, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 9 R. L. FLUELLEN 2,156,384

SLIP

Filed Jan. 28, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 2 1939 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIP Robert L. Fluellen,'Houst0n, Tex.

Application January 28, 1937, Serial No. 122,761

. 5 ing the same into or withdrawing the same from a well.

In carrying on well drilling operations it is well known that pipe, casing, rods and the like are made up and loweredinto the well by attaching sections thereof one at the time to the upper end of the pipe, casing or rods suspended in the well and broken up by a reverse operation, that is by detaching the sections one at a time. While this work is being carried on the made up portion of the casing, pipe or rods must be securely maintained suspended in the well. Inasmuch as at the present time wells are drilled to a great depth, means must be provided for securely holding the pipe to the end that it will not drop into the well. The slip herein described has been provided for that purpose.

With the type of equipment now commonly used when a section has been added to, or detached from, the upper end of the string suspended in the well the slips must be lifted out maintained at all times in readiness to engage the pipe to be suspended and which may be easily released from the pipe when it is desired to elevate or lower the same, all Without the necessity of lifting the slip-s entirely out of the supporting seat thus greatly reducing the duties of the workman carrying on the'drilling operations.

It is another object of the invention to pro-- vide means whereby the engaging slip sections may be maintained in readiness for active duty and whereby said sections may be quickly and easily released to move bygravity into: active position in engagement with the pipe to be suspended.

It is a further object of the invention to provide slipsof the character described-which will not only grip and holdthe pipe or other objects suspended but which will prevent the turning of the slips and the suspended pipe, or the like, while screwing on an additional section or while breaking out a section during the process of breaking up the string and Withdrawing it.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a slip embodying a novel type of slippage to-be mounted in the seat of a rotary table bushing or in any other supporting seat with slip sections -mounted in the cage and means for moving-and -retaining the sections in inactive position and for releasing saidsections whereby they may move by gravity to active position.

With the above and-other-objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of-construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example" of which is given-in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows an inside elevational view of the cage section showing the slip-section therein in active position.

-Figure2 -shows a similar view to that shown in Figure 1 showing the slip section in inactive'po'sition.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the slip showing the pipe or casing therein.

Figure i shows an enlarged plan View thereof.

Figure'5 showsa cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 shows a transverse-sectional view taken on the lineG-B of Figure 1.

Figure"? shows a vertical sectional view taken at right angles-to'the view shown in Figure 2, .2 on the line '|l of Figure 4, and

Figure 8 shows a Vertical sectional View taken at right angles to the view'shown in Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l designates a suitable support such as a drive bushing oi the rotary table of the well known rotary drilling machine. This drive bushing has a downwardly tapering seat 2 whose upperend is formed with a rectangular recess 3 which is preferably square in horizontal cross section. There is a cage indicated generally by the numeral '4 and whose lower end is downwardly tapered andthus adapted to fit into the seat 2. As shownthis cage is formed of two sections although the number of cage sections is optional. The walls of the-cage sections which fit into the seat-'2 are approximately parallel so that the inside of the cage-also convergesdownwardly forming a seat-'5 on which the slip segments 'fi ride. These slip segments are wedge shaped and. their-outer sides'taperdownwardly to conform to the taper 'of the seat'fi. They are varcuate .in horizontal cross sectional contour their inner sides being thus" shaped to fit closely about the pipe I to be held. The inner sides of the slip segments-are toothed so as to securely grip the-pipe tobefheld. The slip segments-are connected in'pairs or s'ections. "As shown one pair, or section, of slip segments is mounted in each cage section. This is shown more accurately in Figures 5, 6 and '7. Adjacent each upper end each segment is provided with a deep external groove 8, the grooves of the respective segments being transversely aligned. Arouate connecting plates 9, ill are fitted into the grooves 8 of the respective sections or pairs of slip segments and the free ends of the plate In project into the corresponding ends of the slot 8 of the other pair of segments, as more clearly illustrated in Figure 5 so as to hold the opposing pair of segments at the same elevation so that the slip sections will move up and down together. The upper ends of the segments of the respective sections have the elongated slots II, II and l2, l2 the slots of each pair converging slightly outwardly as shown in Figure 6 and there are two pairs of pins as l3, l3 anchored to the plate 9 and extending upwardly through the respective slots H, H as wellas two pair of pins l4, l4 anchored to the plate 19 and extending upwardly through the respective slots l2, l2. The pins projecting through the corresponding slot are spaced a distance apart somewhat less than the length of said slot and the slots l l and I2 diverge at such angles as to permit the slip segments to expand upon upward movement of the segments and to contract, or move inwardly, upon the downward movement of the segments. The free ends of the plate I9 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the plate 9 to move inwardly and outwardly between said free ends as the slip is contracted and expanded as is made clear by an inspection of Figures 5 and 6.

The upper end 40. of the cage is reduced in diameter and its inner side: is formed with a downwardly converging guide 41), to prevent the outside couplings of the pipe or casing 1 from hanging thereon. The upper end of each section of the cage has a downwardly pointed wedge shaped expander l5 arranged between the slip segments, on each side and upon upward movement of said sections these expanders will cooperate with the corresponding tapering faces [6, It at the upper outer corners of the adjacent segments whereby the segments of each pair, or section, of the slip will be caused to move apart and the corresponding pins I3, l4 moving outwardly along the corresponding slots ll, I2 will efiect a uniform expansion of the slip segments.

Lift rods 11, ll work downwardly through suitable bearing in the plates 9, In between the corresponding segments connected by said plates and on the lower ends of these lift rods are the stops l8, l8, said stops being shown as nuts threaded on to said rods. Coil springs I9, l9 surround said rods and are interposed between the corresponding plates and stops beneath as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. The upper ends of the cage sections have the vertical bearings 20, 20 in alignment with said rods. The upper ends of the rods ll are bifurcated forming the spaced ears 2|, 2| and fitted between said ears are the inner ends of the levers 22, 22 which are pivoted between these ears by means of the pins 23, 23. The outer ends of the levers 22 are formed with suitable grips 24, 24. When the slip segments are in active position, as shown in Figures 1 and 8 the levers 22 will be in alignment with the rods I! and will move downwardly through the bearings 20 as the slip segments move down to active position by gravity. When the slip segments are in this position they will securelygrip the string of pipe 7 and hold it suspended in the well bore. If it now be desired to release the slips from the string of pipe said string is first slightly elevated by well known appliances for that purpose so as to take the load of the string off of the sections and said sections may then be elevated by the workmen by an upward pull on the levers 22. When the lower ends of the levers clear the bearings 20 said levers may be swung outwardly, operating on the upper margins of the corresponding cage sections as fulcrums, as indicated in Figure 7 and the inwardly projecting ends of said levers may be engaged in the notches 25 and the sections of the slip will thus be held elevated. In thus elevating the slip sections the springs I9 will be placed under compression, as shown in Figure 7 so as to hold the inner ends of the levers 22 securely in said notches to prevent accidental displacement thereof and the consequent dropping of the slip sections.

When it is desired to again grip and hold the pipe preparatory to adding another section thereto, or breaking out a section therefrom, the outer ends of the levers 22 may be'swung upwardly and inwardly to unseat their inner ends from the notches 25 and the corresponding slip sections will then drop by gravity into their lower or active position as shown in Figures 1 and 8. The springs [9 act as shock absorbers for the sections when the sections drop to their lower position.

The levers 22 may be swung into vertical position by the workmen taking hold of the grips 24 and swinging them upwardly or they may be swung upwardly by the operator of the drilling apparatus by the use of the cable 26 as illustrated in Figure 3. This cable 26 is attached at one end 2'! to one side of the cage 4 and it is passed around the pulleys 28, 28, on the grips 24, passing also around a pulley 29, mounted on the cage opposite the point of attachment 2'!, and the free end of said pulley passes around the pulley 30, arranged opposite the pulley 29. With this arrangement when the operator desires to lower the slips a pull may be exerted on the cable 26 which will operate to swing the levers 22 upwardly and inwardly to release the slip sections.

In making up a string of pipe or while breaking the same out it is desirable that the string suspended in the bore be held against turning. For that purpose each cage section is provided with a longitudinally extended tenon 3| on its inner margin and the outer margin of which slip segment is undercut forming a longitudinal marginal mortise 32 to receive the corresponding tenon 3| whereby the slip segments will be held against turning in the cage and the pipe suspended by said segments will also be held against turning. The friction of the cage with the seat 2 of the drive bushing will usually be suflicient to hold said cage against turning but if desired the cage may have an external knob formed thereon to fit into a notch 34 extended downwardly from the recess 3 whereby the cage will also be held against turning.

Provision has been made for fastening the sections of the cage together. At the upper end of the cage each section is provided with the outwardly extended ears 35, 36. Each ear 35 is provided with an opening 31 to receive the link 38 and beneath said ear there is the slot 39 to receive said link. When the cage sections are assembled the ear 35 of one section coincides with the ear 36 of the other section and the car 36 is provided with a notch 40 in its upper side and a slot 4| beneath it to receive the corresponding link 38 whereby the sections may be secured together as shown more clearly in Figure 4.

While the string of pipe is being made up and let down into the well or is broken up and withdrawn, the slips are maintained at all times in 7 position for use without the necessity of entirely removing them from their seat from time to time while the pipe is being manipulated in carrying out the above mentioned operations, as is now the case with slips commonly used but the only manipulation of the slip sections necessary while making up or breaking out the string is the elevation, and release, of the slip sections in the cage as hereinabove fully explained thus relieving the workmen of a major portion of their labor now incident to handling the slips.

When it is desired to completely remove the slips from the rotary table, or other supporting seat, the links 38 may be swung outwardly to disconnect the cage sections and said sections may then be lifted out and laid aside until the use of the slip is again required.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A slip for holding pipe, and the like, suspended and comprising a tubular cage shaped to fit into and extend above a downwardly converging seat and shaped to receive the object to be held and having an inside downwardly converging seat, slip segments in the cage movable downwardly and inwardly upon said seat into active position in engagement with the object to be held and movable upwardly wholly within the cage, lift rods connected with the segments, lift levers connected to the rods through which the segments may be moved upwardly, means for moving the segments outwardly into inactive position against the walls of the cage upon such upward movement, said cage and levers having interengaging parts whereby said segments may be held in said inactive position, yieldable means around the rods arranged to be placed under compression, upon such upward movement, whereby the interengaged parts are yieldingly held in interengaged position and an inside downwardly and inwardly tapering guide integral with the upper end of the cage to direct a downwardly moving object into the cage.

2. A slip comprising a tubular cage which is tapered downwardly, externally, so as to seat in a downwardly converging seat and of a length to extend above the seat, said cage being shaped to receive a pipe therethrough and having a downwardly tapered internal seat, slip sections in the cage mounted on the seat and composed of segments loosely connected together and movable downwardly and inwardly on said seat into position to engage the pipe, wedge shaped expanders in the cage positioned to engage and move the slip segments apart upon upward movement of the slip sections, means behind, and shielded by, the expanders for moving the segments upwardly on said seat into released position and composed of lift rods and lift levers, said levers being movably connected to said rods, the lower ends of said levers forming projections, when the segments are in released position and the levers swung downwardly and outwardly, means on the cage adapted to receive said projections to hold said segments in released position, said cage being longer than said segments to allow the segments to remain wholly within the cage while in either of said positions.

3. A slip for holding pipe, and the like, suspended, comprising a tubular cage shaped to fit into and extend above a downwardly converging seat and shaped to receive the object to be held and having an inside downwardly converging seat, slip sections in the cage formed of segments loosely connected together and movable downwardly and inwardly upon the said seat into active position in engagement with the object to be held and movable upwardly and outwardly into inactive position wholly within the cage, expanders in the cage shaped to move the segments apart when they are moved upwardly the cage having bearings radially outwardly from the expanders, lifting means working through said bearings and comprising lift rods connected with the segments, and. lift levers hingedly connected to the rods through which the segments may be moved upwardly, the lower ends of said levers forming projections when the segments are in inactive position and the levers swung outwardly and downwardly, seats on the upper end of said cage, said seats being adapted. to receive said projections upon such movement of the levers.

ROBERT L. FLUELLEN. 

